By
Anas Sani Anka
Managing Editor
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The closure of Zurmi-Jibia border road for more than a year now due to the murderous activities of armed bandits has remained a major source of concern to many concern stakeholders.
This is because that axis of Zamfara is one of the most economic hubs of the state, especially looking at our border link with many communities around Niger Republic.
Zurmi, Shinkafi and Birnin Magaji are also agriculturally the most potential areas that provide adequate food and agricultural food stuffs for the majority of the state and substantial part of Katsina and Niger.
Before the recent adventure, one may not estimate the number of people who take advantage of that Jibiya-Zurmi road to advance a business and commercial course.
businessmen from Sokoto and Kebbi who must go to Kano for their commercial adventures always see that route as the most pastes way to access Kano city.
Students from Katsina, Kano, Jigawa and most of the North Eastern states such as Borno, Your, Bauchi, Taraba, Gombe and Adamawa who are studying at Usman Danfofiyo University Sokoto and other tertiary colleges in Sokoto always take advantage of that route for ease of movement to their schools and home and lesser cost in terms of transportation.
Our students from Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara who have a course to go to the Maryam Abacha University Maradi as well as An-Nahada University always take advantage of Zurmi-Jibiya route to access Maradi within few hours and before these tragedy a lot of them have completed their degrees and Masters programmes.
On commercial portents of that road one may not argue in the contrary that the popular Dauran, Kasuwar Daji, and Shinkafi markets are commercially strong in terms of the sales of grains and various categories of livestock.
In facts they were branded among the most viable international markets similar to the one at Banki, and Bakasi borders.
Estimate has shown that people came from various part of Niger, Chad, and Cameron to conduct transactions of various kinds in these markets highlighted above and that Zurmi-Jibia route has always been the major accessible route that links these foreign businessmen to these reputable markets of International standard.
Agricultural products are always produced in large quantities and exported through Zurmi-Jibia routes to different part of Nigeria including the neighboring Niger, Chad and Canceroun.
THE TRAGEDY THAT FOLLOWS THE ARMED BANDITS TAKING OVER OF THE ROAD
It was alarming that armed bandit activities had taken away this joy people used to be experienced on this location of Zamfara and Katsina.
Zurmi-Jibia road has become a hell for the commuters due to the delicate nature of the murderous activities of the armed bandits.
Apart from the uncountable number of murderous attacks against Zurmi towns and it’s various communities the Zurmi-Jibia road has become a death trap for the commuters.
The devilish act of banditry perpetrated on daily basis by these bandit criminals necessitated the government to announced its closure and declared the road as unsafe for Nigerians almost two to three years now.
That singular act by the government has demonstrated the strength of the bandit criminals, especially that, it has played host to various forests including Ajja forest, Gidan Jaja and rest of others.
Presently, one cannot state the number of living communities along that route that fled due to the fear of the bandit’s sufferings
.
Life has since become unbearable for those living along that routes as well as commuters who can never make a mistake of playing that road no matter the circumstances.
RECENT VISIT BY DEFENSE MINISTER BADARU AND WHAT CAN CHANGE?!!
It is my candid view that if the Federal government wants to end the killings and inhuman activities of the armed bandits along that axis of Zamfara and Katsina it can do that and within the shortest possible time.
The visit by the Minister Badaru is no doubt a morale boost to the troops hence it is the first of its kind since when this tragedy of the bandits started.
But to be honest, government need to change strategy by resorting to carrying out offensive war against the bandits living in the forests that surrounds that area.
No amount of military checkpoints mounted or armed soldiers deployed can end the crises of highway banditry on that road because for close to two years there have been significant number of military soldiers conducting operations along that road but yet, the road remain under lock and key.
This clearly indicates that the strategies of deploying the military of mounting of checkpoints are no longer working and that to resolve the whole matter the argument of Mal. Shehu Mai Shanu Gulubba needs to take precedence.
He argued in one of the TV programme we had with him recently that, Federal government must not continue to be conducting manual fight against the bandits, instead it shall result to deploying the use of “drone technology“ to search for the locations of these bandits and go after them.
Issue of deploying the soldier on the road via open Hilux vehicle which is not armoured is not enough, but the military should be equipped, motivated and supported with the right technology to be able to go after these bandits recalcitrant and crush them.
Issue of synergy with the state governments of Zamfara and Katsina is also key because without the support of these two states, especially their civilian operatives it would be difficult for the military alone to tackle the excesses of these criminals.
With the visit of Badaru the Defense Minister people await to see the most historic date when this road will be re-open to commuters.
